Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust

Associate Practitioner

The closing date is 21 August 2025

Job summary

Berkshire & Surrey Pathology Services

Are you looking for a full-time Band 4 Associate Practitioner (AP) role with a desire to work as part of the largest NHS led Pathology Services in the UK? We have the opportunity for you.

We are looking for an energetic, enthusiastic and well-motivated individual with good scientific background and laboratory experience to complement our existing AP team.

The post holder will liaise with line manager as part of a team delivering high quality protocol based technical service under the supervision of HCPC Registered Biomedical Scientist staff and is required to act as supervisor for support grade staff members as agreed with the laboratory management team, and will be expected to train, support and advise less experienced staff, such as trainees, students and medical laboratory assistants.

Essential qualities expected are efficiency, being well-organised, having good communication and leadership skills and attention to detail. Good keyboard skills are desirable. In addition, you should be a reliable individual who is able to demonstrate good practical skills and work as part of the AP team.

You will be expected to work according to our working time compliant shift system. The successful candidate will be based at Frimley Park Hospital site.

Main duties of the job

To participate in the provision of a comprehensive range of scientific and diagnostic services for bacteriology. The diagnostic work of the bacteriology department includes the appropriate processing and handling of body fluids and materials including high risk specimens.
The post holder will liaise with line manager as part of a team delivering high quality protocol based technical service under the supervision of HCPC Registered Biomedical Scientist staff.
The post holder will be required to communicate with hospital clinicians, general practitioners, other healthcare professionals, patients and their representatives and commercial suppliers.
The post holder will be required to operate sophisticated, automated laboratory equipment and perform scientific techniques under supervision and to report results in accordance with departmental SOPs and as appropriate to grade.
The post holder is required to act as supervisor for support grade staff members as agreed with the laboratory management team, and will be expected to train, support and advise less experienced staff, such as trainees, students and MLA's.
The post holder will be required to manage laboratory stock within the department and provide details of stock management to the Lead BMS or General Manager as required.

About us

Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust is committed to being an inclusive and disability confident employer and has been awarded the Gold for the Armed Forces Employment Recognition Scheme. We provide first class development opportunities for all staff and have a wide range of professional, management and leadership, and clinical skills training available.

Here at Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust, we know how important it is to have a healthy work life balance; this benefits not only individuals but the patients we care for too.

We encourage applications from people who wish to work on a flexible basis, recognising that flexibility may mean a range of different working patterns and hours, we do our utmost to work with our staff to meet their needs and the needs of our service and its users.

Frimley Health Trust benefits on Vimeo

Date posted

14 August 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 4

Salary

£28,860 to £31,671 a year per annum incl HCAS

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

151-NM139

Job locations

Frimley Park Hospital

Portsmouth Road, Frimley

Camberley

GU16 7UJ

Job description

Job responsibilities

Be able to effectively deal with simple day to day situations and problems, referring to Senior Biomedical Scientist staff when appropriate
Ensures sample is appropriate type for all tests and assesses samples for urgency, informing Biomedical Scientist staff of such samples
To be responsible for own work which will include all aspects of the technical work, equipment and quality system
To monitor and produce reports as required to laboratory manager in relation to workload and staff within section
Ensures efficient use of resources and is aware of stock levels and rotation, storage conditions, batch numbers and expiry dates, thus ensuring the viability of reagents and/or blood products used
Communicates effectively with other staff groups both internal and external, including healthcare professionals, transport and courier staff, patients and their representatives and commercial suppliers
Provides supervision, training support and assistance to newly staff as appropriate (including the demonstration of procedures to less experienced staff)
Carry out biomedical procedures including maintenance, monitoring of sophisticated equipment and audit in accordance with departmental SOPs

Further details refer to JD and PS

Job description

Job responsibilities

Be able to effectively deal with simple day to day situations and problems, referring to Senior Biomedical Scientist staff when appropriate
Ensures sample is appropriate type for all tests and assesses samples for urgency, informing Biomedical Scientist staff of such samples
To be responsible for own work which will include all aspects of the technical work, equipment and quality system
To monitor and produce reports as required to laboratory manager in relation to workload and staff within section
Ensures efficient use of resources and is aware of stock levels and rotation, storage conditions, batch numbers and expiry dates, thus ensuring the viability of reagents and/or blood products used
Communicates effectively with other staff groups both internal and external, including healthcare professionals, transport and courier staff, patients and their representatives and commercial suppliers
Provides supervision, training support and assistance to newly staff as appropriate (including the demonstration of procedures to less experienced staff)
Carry out biomedical procedures including maintenance, monitoring of sophisticated equipment and audit in accordance with departmental SOPs

Further details refer to JD and PS

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

Good education to A Levels, including science subject or NVQ 4 or IBMS Certificate of Achievement (Part 2) or Foundation degree or demonstrable laboratory knowledge, experience and skills that prerequisite this role.
Willing to undergo relevant training to ensure sound relevant knowledge

Desirable

oECDL

Experience

Essential

Experience as a MLA in a diagnostic laboratory
Able to perform technically challenging procedures where applicable
Ability to develop knowledge and understanding of microbiology techniques sufficient to undertake specimen processing and reception

Desirable

Experience of working as part of a team
Some experience of diagnostic microbiology

Skills Knowledge

Essential

Good at multi-tasking
Good verbal and manual skills
Ability to work effectively under time and workload pressures
Ability to follow written and verbal instructions

Desirable

Lateral thinking
Familiar with the use of computers and able to use a keyboard
Friendly and interactive in working group

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

Good education to A Levels, including science subject or NVQ 4 or IBMS Certificate of Achievement (Part 2) or Foundation degree or demonstrable laboratory knowledge, experience and skills that prerequisite this role.
Willing to undergo relevant training to ensure sound relevant knowledge

Desirable

oECDL

Experience

Essential

Experience as a MLA in a diagnostic laboratory
Able to perform technically challenging procedures where applicable
Ability to develop knowledge and understanding of microbiology techniques sufficient to undertake specimen processing and reception

Desirable

Experience of working as part of a team
Some experience of diagnostic microbiology

Skills Knowledge

Essential

Good at multi-tasking
Good verbal and manual skills
Ability to work effectively under time and workload pressures
Ability to follow written and verbal instructions

Desirable

Lateral thinking
Familiar with the use of computers and able to use a keyboard
Friendly and interactive in working group

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Employer details

Employer name

Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Frimley Park Hospital

Portsmouth Road, Frimley

Camberley

GU16 7UJ

Employer's website

https://www.fhft.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details

Employer name

Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Frimley Park Hospital

Portsmouth Road, Frimley

Camberley

GU16 7UJ

Employer's website

https://www.fhft.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)